Molecular Epidemiology (MS)

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Students with a bachelor’s degree in quantitative biological sciences will be eligible for admission. In addition, the BA students must have completed at least one year of general biology, one semester of biochemistry and one semester of statistics to be admitted into the Graduate School. Under unusual circumstances, conditional acceptance will be offered to students who do not meet these requirements — allowing them to complete the missing undergraduate courses prior to their full admission into the Graduate School. An introductory biochemistry class is also available in the School of Pharmacy, which may satisfy the biochemistry prerequisite.

Course Requirements

The MS program requires 37 graduate-level units with a minimum grade point average of 3.0 including epidemiology core courses, 14 units; molecular biology core courses, 12 units; at least 3 elective units; laboratory research plus thesis, 8 units. Students must also complete a master’s thesis.

Prerequisite: PM 510 L Principles of Biostatistics

Epidemiology Core Courses (14 Units)

PM 511aL Data Analysis Units: 4
PM 512 Principles of Epidemiology Units: 4
PM 518a Statistical Methods for Epidemiological Studies I, II Units: 3
PM 533 Genetic and Molecular Epidemiology Units: 3, 2 years

Molecular Biology Core Courses (12 Units)

BIOC 543 Human Molecular Genetics Units: 4
INTD 504 Molecular Biology of Cancer Units: 4, 2 years or
INTD 555 Biochemical and Molecular Bases of Disease Units: 4
INTD 571 Biochemistry Units: 4

Electives (At Least 3 Units)

INTD 561 Molecular Biology Units: 4
PM 517a Research Methods in Epidemiology Units: 3
PM 523 Design of Clinical Studies Units: 3

Laboratory Research + Thesis (8 Units)

DPT 590a-Directed Research Units: 1
DPT 590b-Directed Research Units: 1
DPT 590c-Directed Research Units: 1
DPT 590d-Directed Research Units: 1
DPT 594a-Thesis Units: 2
DPT 594b-Thesis Units: 2

Note:

DPT refers to the department offering the laboratory/directed research experience and thesis supervision. DPT is one of the following departments (but not restricted to): PM, BIOC, PATH.
Laboratories should expose students to: statistical and epidemiological methods, molecular techniques, human genetics, population-based studies.